Drivers who run out of gas or have a flat tire on the Illinois Tollway could soon find themselves getting an advertising pitch along with their rescue.
Tollway officials announced plans Thursday to sell advertising space on the sides of the Highway Emergency Lane Patrol, or HELP, trucks that assist stranded motorists.
That’s only the first step in a revenue-raising strategy that could lead to selling naming rights on tollway oases, putting ads on the tollway’s website and even leasing ad space on the domes where road salt is stored.
Tollway officials estimate ads on 13 trucks will pay for the roadside assistance program.
A similar effort in New York raised $2.2 million in revenue a year, according to the Tribune report.